Papa’s superpowers rubbed off
On Father’s Day today, superstars of the city talk about their fathers influencing their career choice
On Father’s Day, we spoke to Chandigarh-based renowned figures from different walks of life who, in their heartfelt words, shared how their seeing their fathers work in their respective fields became cherished memories and an inspiration to take up the same career.
Bharat Gupta, classical dancer
My father, Rahul Gupta, is first my guru and then my papa. Whatever I know, I’ve learned from him. Following the guru-shishya parampara of our country, he has taught me not just about dance, but also music, bhakti, dharma, and much more. He always tells me that we must strive to be the best version of ourselves and always choose the right path no matter how tough it seems. It is because of him that I keep getting incredible opportunities to perform across country and abroad – the latest being our upcoming performance at the International Dance Festival in Georgia where we will represent India and perform Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi and Mohiniyattam.
Kavita Singh, artist
My father Satwant Singh is a senior and much-respected artist in the region. He never forced me to take up art. In fact, he would always say ‘follow your passion’. As a child, I would draw and paint secretively. One day, my mother discovered my works and showed them to papa. He was really impressed and encouraged me. One thing he always keeps telling me is before being a good artist; one must be a good person. Also, do not rely on any shortcuts for success as there is no alternative to hard work. He also says that having humility and working not just for yourself but also to help others is crucial.
Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, golfer
My dad, Brig Balwinder Singh Sandhu (retd), has taught me all that I know about golf. When he was posted in a small town of Assam, he was the golf course secretary, so if I wanted to spend time with him, that was the place to go. As I was always athletic and interested in sport, he motivated me and taught me the basic framework of golfing. Then, when we moved to Delhi, he would take me to the army golf range and we would practice for hours. In fact, it was golf that got us through the tough pandemic times. I really hope that we get to travel and play golf a lot more this year.
Chanmeet Kaur Kochhar, baker
As a child, I would always see my father, chef Amrinder Kochhar, whipping up delicious dishes in the kitchen. His chilli garlic noodles are my favourite. I always found the whole cooking process very interesting, and always wanted to lend help. As I grew up, I would always try to make something sweet to go with his dishes and that’s how my culinary journey began and resulted in my small business, Flavourish. What always amazes me is how he keeps his cool while working in the hot kitchen environment. His patience is something I really admire. He also taught me that cooking with love is most important for a chef. I really wish to expand our businesses and make him proud.
